Great Britain 1981 penny
This specimen was part of lot 1191 in Goldberg's NY International sale 58 (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $3,360. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain. Elizabeth II (1952-2022). Nine Piece Commemorative Proof Coin Collection, 1981. Issued by the Royal Mint for the Royal Marriage with Gold Sovereign and 5 Pounds, plus Silver Crown of Prince Charles and Lady Diana and legal tender coins. In original red case of issue. Choice Gem Proof." This new penny was introduced in 1971 as part of the decimal reform. It was struck in this style until 1982, when the word "new" was dropped from the reverse (KM 927). Some dates, such as 1972 and 1974, were struck only for collector sets. It was converted to copper-plated steel in 1998. A silver penny (KM 898) was struck for the Maundy sets.
Recorded mintage: 301,800,000 plus 100,300 proofs.
Specification: bronze, 3.56 g, 20.32 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 915, KM PS40 (proof set).
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Stephen Harvey and Vera Kan, Goldberg NY International 2023 Sale, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2022.
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